Sotah 41a

סוטה מ״א ע״א

Learn Sotah 41a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

The כהן גדול's Torah reading on יום כיפור, and the king's reading at הקהל

Overview

This amud finishes the כהן גדול's Torah reading on יום כיפור and then begins the king's reading at הקהל. רב חסדא first explains that the reading took place in the עזרת נשים. The גמרא then asks how the כהן גדול may skip from 'אחרי מות' to 'אך בעשור', since a משנה says you may not skip in the Torah. אביי's final answer is that skipping is allowed within one topic, and a ברייתא backs him up with more rules about skipping. Next, the גמרא explains why the כהן גדול says the במדבר section by heart: we do not roll a scroll while the ציבור waits, and we do not bring a second scroll, because people might think the first is flawed or because it would mean an unnecessary ברכה. A ברייתא then lists his eight ברכות. A new משנה describes הקהל: when it happens, how the scroll is handed up to the king, the story of אגריפס, what the king reads, and his ברכות. The גמרא fixes 'בשמיני' to mean the eighth year, then begins explaining why the פסוק needs each of its time words, a discussion that continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (35)

1. ChallengeThe verse that ends the challenge about where the reading took place
2. Resolutionרב חסדא explains that the ברייתא also means the women's courtyard
3. StatementQuoting the משנה: the כהן גדול reads two separate sections
4. ChallengeA contradiction: skipping in the Torah is not allowed
5. Resolutionאביי: a short skip is allowed, a long skip is not
6. ChallengeA ברייתא shows that the translator rule applies only to נביא
7. Resolutionאביי's new answer: one topic versus two topics
8. ProofA ברייתא supports the one-topic rule
9. StatementMore skipping rules for the books of the Prophets
10. StatementThe משנה: the כהן גדול rolls up the Torah scroll
11. QuestionWhy does he need to say all this?
12. ResponseSo people will not think badly of the Torah scroll
13. StatementThe משנה: the third reading is said by heart
14. QuestionWhy not roll the scroll to that place?
15. ResponseWe do not roll a Torah scroll in front of the congregation
16. QuestionWhy not bring a second scroll?
17. ResponsePeople would think the first scroll is flawed
18. ResponseA second scroll would bring an unnecessary blessing
19. ChallengeChallenge: on ראש חודש טבת three scrolls are used
20. ResolutionThree readers with three scrolls is different from one reader with two
21. StatementListing the blessings the כהן גדול recites
22. StatementWhat 'the rest of the prayer' means
23. StatementEveryone reads from his own Torah scroll
24. StatementWhen and where the king reads at הקהל
25. StatementThe scroll is handed up to the king
26. StatementKing Agrippa reads standing and weeps at the verse about a foreign king
27. StatementWhich sections of ספר דברים the king reads
28. StatementThe king says the כהן גדול's ברכות, with one change
29. ChallengeCan 'on the eighth' really mean the eighth day of סוכות?
30. ResolutionRead it as 'in the eighth year'
31. QuestionWhy does the פסוק need all these time details?
32. Response'At the end' alone could mean counting from now, so the תורה adds 'שמיטה'
33. Response'שמיטה' alone could mean the end of that year, so the תורה adds 'at the festival'
34. Response'At the festival' alone could mean ראש השנה, so the תורה adds 'סוכות'
35. ResponseWhy the Torah adds 'When all Israel comes'